Written by Staff Writer at CNN, Prachi Pinglay
Italian prosecutors have appealed a court’s decision to overturn the murder conviction of Amanda Knox and her former boyfriend in the murder of Knox’s American roommate in 2007.
The move by the prosecution means a further appeal will be heard in Italy. If Knox’s conviction is restored, the 30-year prison sentence will automatically be lifted.
Italian police stand guard outside the residence of Amanda Knox in Perugia, Italy, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2014. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Credit: AP
The case of Kercher, who was found dead in the home she shared with Knox in Perugia, came to world attention when Knox and former Italian-American boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were arrested in the murder four years ago.
Knox was convicted in 2009 and her former boyfriend was convicted of the same charge later that year. But, in an unprecedented decision, both were acquitted by an Italian court in 2015, with the judge citing “irregularities” in the investigation and a lack of forensic evidence.
Vatican officials named their assistant secretary of state as the expert that concluded the police investigation was “improper,” the New York Times reported.
Italian news agency ANSA reported the court on Tuesday ordered an audit of all the files related to the case. It said the prosecutor asked that all related material from the investigation be either destroyed or returned to the court, just days after the acquittal.
Prosecutor’s request
Rudy Guede was the main suspect in the murder investigation, but he was found guilty of lesser counts and is currently serving a 16-year sentence.
Italian news agency ANSA reported that the prosecutor’s appeal will be heard on December 4, 2018. Knox and Sollecito were not present at the appeals court.